The Zimbabwe national team is on the brink of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals after their impressive 3-1 win over Namibia on Monday evening at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
Zimbabwe’s victory which was their second in the ongoing qualifiers, saw them remain second in Group J with eight points with two matches left.
They are still two points behind former African champions Cameroon who are at the summit with 10 points and have already secured their place at the finals set to be held in Morocco in December 2025.
A draw against Kenya on the 11th of November, will be enough for the Michael Nees’ coached side to earn a ticket at the prestigious continental football competition in North Africa.
Zimbabwe who drew Kenya 0-0 in the first leg away recently, will host the Harambee Stars next month at a venue yet to be announced due to the ongoing stadium crisis.
There is no CAF approved stadium in the country for international matches.
Away from this humiliating, pathetic, disappointing, and frustrating stadium crisis, Zimbabwe were a marvel to watch against Namibia.
Despite a lacklustre first half, the Warriors outsmarted the Brave Warriors in the second half, thanks to Nees’ tactical changes and his message to the team at half time.
Attacking midfielder Walter Musona’s brace and Prince Dube’s strike off the bench in the dying minutes of the game, helped Zimbabwe win.
The Simba Bhora star, Musona, broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break, with his volley shot beating a hapless Namibian goalkeeper Edward Maova.
Musona who did not play in the reverse fixture last Thursday when Zimbabwe won 1-0, but started yesterday, went on to hit the net again 11 minutes after.
This time it was from 12 yards after the Italian based Jordan Zemura won a penalty for Zimbabwe.
Zemura’s right footed shot towards goal, was blocked by hand by a Namibian defender.
Confidently, Musona steeped up, and without making any mistake scored to complete his brace.
Namibian shot stopper Maova went the right way, but Musona’s shot was too powerful and his ball had some height on it.
Now, with the scoreline reading 2-0, former Highlanders star Prince Dube who is now playing for Tanzanian giants Young Africans, came off the bench to put the icing on the cake.
He calmly tapped in the third goal to seal the victory for Zimbabwe.
It was after showing great composure inside the box, following Zemura’s sublime cross that proved to be his second assist of the game.
An in-form and impressive Zemura who scored a beautiful free kick for his club Udinese last week, was voted Man of the Match.
It was a delightful moment for the former AFC Bournemouth roving and skilfully defender.
But, for the Warriors goalkeeper Washington Arubi, probably it was the opposite.
Yes, a sweet and important victory for the team, but undoubtedly, failing to keep a clean sheet must have left him frustrated.
With the clock ticking, Arubi could have thought he had registered his fourth successive clean sheet.
However, the visitors had other plans, finding a consolation through Godwin Eiseb in stoppage time.
Eiseb easily poked the ball past the Marumo Gallants number one after Warriors’ centre back Gerald Takwara’s blunder inside the penalty area.
Takwara’s header intended to Arubi for a back pass, was too weak, falling in the path of an alert Eiseb who then capitalised from the defensive blunder.
However, Eiseb’s effort came a little too late for the Brave Warriors whose hopes of qualifying for AFCON ended.
